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September 19, 1991 - Exploring the Pathways of MashomackC6 The Suffolk Times • September 19, 1991 Exploring the Pathways of Mashomack By Paul Stoutenburgh The Long Island Chapter of The Na- ture Conservancy held its annual meet- ing at Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island this past week,-,i3 and the day's activities included various walks. Some were woodland, others along the shore. Then there were the specialized walks for insects, migrating birds and even a marsh walk where one could really get his feet wet inspecting fiddler crabs, mussels, killies, spearing and other in- teresting animals found in this produc- tive area. I was to lead a walk along part of the beach that runs around this 2,000 -plus- acre preserve. I was familiar with the area, having been over it many times, and just this spring Barbara and I had taken our canoe around the entire island. It is surprising how little some people know about the beach and its environ- ment, and so a walk explaining all the various aspects was scheduled for the afternoon. We had about 35 young and old and started along the west side of the preserve, just opposite the great manor house that's been completely refur- bished. As we approached the beach I was impressed by the windrows of eelgrass that lay along the entire high -tide line. We do not find this feature to the west in the Peconic Bay area. Back in the '30s a disease swept through the entire eastern seaboard and wiped out all the great beds of eelgrass that previously created nursery areas for fish and food for a vast number of marine organisms — plus, in many areas, food for ducks and geese. Since then eelgrass has Focus on Nature slowly been making a comeback. Hopefully, someday we we'll again see this great waving mass of green in our upper bays. Eelgrass Insulation It's this very eelgrass that, years ago, farmers would collect with their horse and wagon and pack around their build- ings' foundations to keep out the win- tery blasts of cold. It was also collected for cattle bedding and in some of the very old homes we find it was used as insulation between the walls. We found the skeleton shells of horseshoe crabs and blue -claw crabs. I was able to show the group how the blue -claw crab comes out of its shell from the back while the horseshoe crab when moulting comes out from the front. Of course, the reason for this shedding of its old shell is to let the crab grow and each time it sheds, or moults, it becomes a bit larger. While I had the blue -claw crab in my hand and a rock crab claw I was able to show how the rock crab differs in what it eats by looking at the structure of the claws. The blue -claw crab has long - pointed pinchers while the rock crab has short, chunky crushers more adapted to break- ing shells than eating of flesh like the blue claw. Some didn't know about the razor clam that we found along the beach. These long, narrow -shell clams get their name from their shape, which is like an JFJqfi HURRICANE ESTIMATES CALL 800- 540 -9330 ALL TYPE CUSTOMIZED POOL OFFENCES ENCLOSURES All LI t!1 All lYli' ,Ili' CALL TODAY SPACED FOR FREE ESTIMATES PICKET Over 75 styles to choose from SPECIALIST Jerith Aluminum Fence • Customized Wood Fence- Chain Link • Space Picket • Stockade & many more! Reliable Garden & Fence Co. ..l � �� � • - - vi,it 0�� J^�'d:� —000 _ _ hi�i _�_ GRBIiNHOUSB 800- 540 -9330 OPEN 7 DAYS Financing Call for free estimate! Mon. -Fri. 8 -6, Available Located in Spring Lake Commons Sat 8 -5, Sun. 9 -5 Middle Country Rd. (Rt. 25), Middle Island (2 Miles east of Rt. 112) FENCES e GAZEBOS e SHEDS • AND MORE! Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh SHELLS OF OUR BAY BEACHES --Can you find these shells? Blood ark, scallop, angel wing, jingle shell, oyster, quarter deck or boat shell, razor clam, ribbed mussel. old- fashioned straight razor. At low tide, we often see holes in the sand flats where the razor clams live below. Try- ing to dig one out by hand is almost impossible because the razor clam can dig down faster than you can. I've often taken one and laid it on its side in water and watched it up -end itself and, in what seems like seconds, disappear in the sand right before my eyes. Cormorants Heading South A string of high -flying cormorants flew over as we walked along. They were heading south and from now on we'll be seeing these dark, geese -like birds as they migrate through our area. Our local cormorants, by the way, nest on nearby Gardiners and Fishers islands. Barbara handed me a beach flea, which everyone was anxious to see. They are a type of crustacean that lives on and around damp sand; usually you find them under things like seaweed and old boards. They don't bite but live on de- cayed matter that they scavenge in the darkness of their temporary hiding places. They look like a flea only larger and jump just like their namesakes. In- stead of being dark- colored, nature has provided them with a sandy color for protection. These are not to be confused with the mole crabs we see burrowing along the wave line of our beaches. Those rugged fellows live only in the turbulent area of moving sand and water, whereas the beach fleas live above the high -water line. Jingle shells that most of us take for granted were a popular hit for many. Some had never seen them and were col- lecting these golden treasures. They are pretty and, of course, come in various shades of orange and yellow. I remember our kids used to collect them and then, by punching a hole through the shell, would string them on long necklaces or make wind chimes out of them. By the way, we hardly ever see the flat companion shell of the jingle because it is even more fragile than the top shell and decomposes easily. Having been along this beach previ- ously I had to tell the group about a huge stump some 25 feet offshore one could see at low tide. It's hard for most of us to realize that erosion of our shores has been going on since our is- land was formed. It's a natural phe- nomenon. There was new evidence of this erosion from Hurricane Bob: Trees were sliding down the bank and a new beach was being formed. We finished our walk at the creek just south of the manor house. Here we could see people knee -deep in water with their nets, hoping to catch something exciting. It was a day of adventure for all of us. The only thing that could have made it more perfect would have been to have had the osprey sitting on its nest nearby. Most ospreys have started on their migration south. Some will wind up in the Amazon basin, while others will enjoy the warmth of shores around the Caribbean. We'll still have a few lingering through September but by the first frost most have gone. It was a good day for The Nature Conservancy with more than 500 people in attendance. Most were satisfied and refreshed. Now the important work of protecting the Peconic Estuary lies ahead. Hopefully, with the combined help of people, organizations, business and government, there can be a new and bright future for the waters of our in- comparable bays. For Gardeners The Riverhead Garden Club meets on the first Tuesday of the month at the Congregational Parish House on First Street, Riverhead. Meetings begin at 1 p.m. ILLOW PANEL -S_' . 30% OFF BY THE YARD, INC. Love Lane, Mattituck • 298 -8585 W.